Snapchat’s new AR lenses let you try on and buy Halloween costumes

Snapchat has launched a set of new lenses that you can use to find Halloween costumes for parties and events you're attending this month. These new AR lenses will give you a way to virtually try on costumes from some of the shows and movies in recent history that had helped define pop culture as we know it. And yes, you can purchase them from within the app. The selection includes characters and costumes from Harry Potter, Squid Game, Stranger Things, Hocus Pocus, Transformers, Power Rangers and other titles.

Snap says it conducted a study with consulting firm Ipsos and found that shopping has become the number one reason why people use augmented reality. Indeed, more and more retailers and companies have started offering augmented reality tools that you can use to try on the goods they're selling. Snap itself has been expanding its AR try-on features for a while now and launched the ability for brands to connect their catalogs to their AR Lens experiences on the app back in August. In its announcement, it says it's creating more tools centered around augmented reality shopping.

If you want to shop for Halloween costumes on Snapchat, you only need to take full-body features. Snapchat's computer vision tech will overlay the product image onto your body in the photo, and you can take a Snap and share with friends if you want. You can find the Halloween try-on Lenses in Disguise Costumes' account. Simply search for that username in the app or search for specific show or movie titles in Snapchat's Lens Explorer.

Barbie and Ken Doll in Boxes Couples’ Halloween Costume

With all the excitement surrounding the upcoming Barbie movie (no? Just me?), it only makes sense someone would cash in on the craze with a Barbie and Ken couples’ Halloween costume. Officially licensed by Rasta Imposta and available on Amazon (affiliate link), the costume includes two giant doll toy boxes for your and your significant other (or a friend) to get inside and become the iconic couple.

There’s also a set that includes a vintage Barbie box costume if that’s more your cup of tea. But please note the costumes ONLY include the toy boxes, you’re on your own to find the perfect outfit to wear inside. Get creative! Also, buy an ’80s Corvette and spray paint it pink to really complete the look. Just don’t try to drive with your costume on.

My wife already told me I can’t be a Ninja Turtle again this year (I beg to differ), and we should consider a couples costume for once. She suggested characters from Stranger Things. I suggested a Michelangelo and April O’Neil, but, knowing her, when Halloween rolls around we’ll be Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper, despite my insistence I should really be a Demogorgon instead.

[via DudeIWantThat]

This Guy Makes Helmets for His Cat

Rémy Vicarini and his cat Cathode have made a name for themselves on the Internet. Not because his kitty does tricks or anything, but because Rémy likes to dress Cathode up in tiny, custom-made helmets. I’m not sure if they actually offer any protection, but it’s not like human cosplay armor does either.

Rémy designs a computer model of each helmet them outputs them on a 3D printer. They’re custom-sized to ensure a snug fit to Cathode’s little head. Of course, he makes holes in them for Cathode’s ears to poke out to keep them from getting bent – plus kitty just looks cooler that way.

Among his creations are a motorized Iron Man’s helmet, a bike helmet, an astronaut’s helmet, a motorcycle helmet, and a LEGO knight helmet. You can check out some more of Rémy and Cathode’s stylish headgear in the videos below:

[via Nerdist]

An Inflatable Kool-Aid Man Costume: Oh Yeah!

Halloween is less than eight weeks away, so it’s never too early to get your costume figured out. If you’re ready to bust through some walls and scare your neighbors this year, I highly recommend this inflatable Kool-Aid Man costume. Put it on, and you’ll instantly become a 50-gallon pitcher full of high-energy, artificially colored, cherry-flavored drink!

The officially licensed costume inflates with the push of a button, and since it fills up with air instead of actual Kool-Aid, you’re unlikely to drown inside of this thing. It’s big enough for adults and has a place for you to look out of its nose, so you don’t bump into any walls except for the ones that you really meant to. Now I don’t recommend crashing into any brick walls because you’re likely to break something, but if you want to have some fun, styrofoam blocks or sheets of Foamcore are always an option.

The Kool-Aid Man Inflatable costume is available from Vat19 for $129.99 (USD). Buy two and have a Kool-Aid Man sumo wrestling match with your friend!

Astronaut and Lunar Lander Kids’ Costumes Win Halloween

Between the endless candy, the artful pumpkin carving, the creepy music, the decorations, and the costumes, Halloween is the best of the holidays. There’s just so much more creativity in Halloween than most other holidays, especially when it comes to the costumes.

For Halloween 2019, one family created an awesome pair of costumes for their two young daughters – an astronaut, along with lunar lander module.

Little Charlie and Ellie’s parents did a fantastic job here, with the older of the two girls portraying the Apollo Lunar Module, and the younger of them dressed as an Apollo astronaut. The only thing they’re missing is a rug that looks like the moon’s surface for them to roll out in front of each house as they ask for candy.

Check out more of this amazingly cute duo in the video clip below, and then the entire costume and build gallery up on Imgur.

This isn’t the first time these kids have had awesome Halloween costumes. In 2017, there was the squid, and in 2018, they had the horseshoe crab and an adorable traffic cone.

[via Boing Boing via Geekologie]

Cassie Humanoid Legs Robot Becomes an AT-ST

Meet Chicken-Walker 2.0 everyone. This past Halloween, the weird looking Cassie humanoid-legged robot donned a Star Wars AT-ST costume made by members of its build team at Oregon State University’s Dynamic Robotics Lab. So basically these engineers are Imperials, now creating the Empire’s latest toys. I can’t wait to see their Star Destroyers and Death Stars.

They also added some CG blaster cannon effects to the video for more realism. Though it probably won’t be long until it can really do that on its own. I think it’s time to recruit an Ewok army so we can be ready to take it down. No one deals with the Empire like those little furry freaks.

I hope someone invents a thermal detonator so I can use it on these wobbly monstrosities. At least they’re easy to trip. Stupid robot scientists. I’m surprised they didn’t give it some hands so it can hold a knife and a gun. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you people? Do you really want to be the last people on Earth with a bunch of robots? Well, I admit it does sound appealing.

I love the way it moves its legs like it has to pee too. Nice touch.

[via Nerdist via Geekologie]

Dad Makes Awesome Mechwarrior Costume For Kids

Want your kids to get maximum candy this Halloween? Make something like this Mechwarrior costume, and they’ll intimidate every house into filling their trick or treat bag to the brim. This awesome kid’s mech costume was built by YouTuber Griddlock Cosplay for his kids, nieces, and nephews to show off at the Edmonton Comic Expo 2018.

This model is a Stalker J1 Mechwarrior. It can’t kill you, but it does look deadly. It has a “fully functional” cockpit, with a joystick for “navigation and control,” a cabin light, and there is even a cooling fan and a padded seat for a comfortable ride. It has a decorative 5-barrel minigun, working headlights, and a non-functional spinning radar.

The costume hides dad inside, so he can carry around one kid at a time. It looks like it probably has a lot of room on board to store all of that candy too. This will be the best costume in the neighborhood and will win you and your kids some prizes during costume contests as well.

[via Netgeek via Mike Shouts]

Just a Predator Riding a Xenomorph Motorcycle

Well, here’s something that you don’t see every day. Apparently, rather than just kill this Xenomorph and take a trophy, this Predator decided to humiliate his kill and turn it into a kickass motorcycle. Now it will always be his slave on the open road.

Now that’s not really a Predator, but it’s a cosplayer from Thailand riding his awesome custom motorcycle. This person knows how to live. I’ll say that. It’s a great way to get the hell out quickly when you have to activate your nuclear bomb and kill Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Honestly, I wouldn’t even care if this was a scene from the new Predator movie. In fact, it makes me want a Predator motorcycle gang movie, with Predators riding across the country behaving badly. I envision it as a comedy. And it’s all good until they encounter the Xenomorph gang. Then it’s war. Until a brave woman named Ripley brings the two forces together and ushers in peace. Beautiful. I think it might win an Oscar.

Damn, that is a badass bike though. Okay, I’m out of here. I have to get started on this screenplay.

[via Laughing Squid via Geekologie]